Ch.VI. south AMERICA. 49 



an apple, which the fruit of this tree exadly refembles 

 in ihape, colour, and flnvour; hut contains, under this 

 beautiful appearance, luch a fijbtle poifon, that its 

 effeóls are perceived before it is tafted. The tree is 

 large, and its branches form near the top a kind of 

 crown; its wood hard, and of a ycllowifh tinct. On 

 being cut, it iilues out a white juice, hut not unlike 

 that of the fig-tree, lefs white and of a thinner con- 

 íiílence ; but equally poiibnous with the fruit itlelf ;- 

 for if any happens to drop on any part of the ii lli, it 

 immediately cautcs an ulcer and inflammation, and, 

 unlefs fpeedy application be uied, loon ipreads through 

 all the other parts of the body * ; to that it is necef-* 

 fary, after felling it, to leave it till thoroughly dried, 

 in order to its being worked without danger ; and then 

 appears the beauty of this wood, which is exquiiitely 

 variegated and veined like marble on its yellow 

 ground. Upon tailing, its fruit, the body immediately 

 fwells, till the violence of the poifon, wanting fuf- 

 ficient room, burfts it; as has been too fully con- 

 firmed by feveral melancholy inftances of European 

 tailors who have been fent on lliore to cut wood. The 

 fame unhappy confequence alio attended great num- 

 bers of Spaniards at the conqueff of thefe countries, 

 till, according to Herrera, common oil was found to 

 be the powcriul antidote to this iiibtle poifon. 



But fuch is the malignit}^ of the manzanillo, that if 

 a perlón happen^s to ilecp under it, he is foon awaked, 

 and finds his body fwcllcd almoft as much as if he h?d 

 a^'ilually eaten the fruit -l^; and continues in great 



* The juice dropping on the flefli generally caufcs an inflcimma- 

 tion ; but I do not remenibtr ever to have {<¿en an ulcer produced, or 

 any very bad ctfeits, the hot burning pain excepted. A. 



f The author is here miiinfornied. Indeed perfons, who have 

 flept under the tree, have afterwards complained of an head-ach. 

 Thofe who happen to take fl:elter undtr it in a fíiower, generally 

 feel the fame effe£t from the dropping of the leaves, as though Ú19 

 juice had dropt on them. A. 



Vol. L E #an^€r 



